Electrically-controlled safety appliance for railways.



R. T. & F. T. JONES. BLEGTRIOALLY CONTROLLED SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED 00-1215, 1909. nmwnwnn 912m. 20. 1910.

996,344, Patented June 27, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. T. & P. T. JONES.

ELEGTBIGALLY CONTROLLED SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.15, 1909. RENEWED SEPT. 20, 1910.

Patented June 27, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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6 Ho t/amp lApplicatiomfiled -c.toberf1 5,'1909, Ser-ial No.'522,718. Renewed September 20, 1910. SerialfNoi .;58i2,!)i27.

a To all 'whom it mag concern:

Be itknown that we, RICHARD T. Jones wandl mmr T..Jox1ns, citizens of the United .States,re'siding at)Baltimore, in the State of 'Maryland have nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Gonstrolled Safetv Appliances for Railways, of

which the following is a specification.

Thiszinventiontrelates to improvements inxan electrically controlled safety applian'ce for railways; t

In the operationbf various forms of railway safety appliances, such for example as electrically-controlled signals and elect-rically operated airbrake apparatus,-many of the forms employ a third rail or short sec- "tions of rails with which a contact device carried [on the vehicle makes contact to effect a change or" a break in the circuits.

These third railsi-or contacts are often ex-- posed to the elements, with the result that ice and snow vill accumulate thereon and more or less interfere and prevent thecontact necessary to'elfect the operation desired.

This "invention, therefore has for its ob- J ject to provide an improved means for clearing suthciently or Lcleaning such third rails or rad-sections by removing the ice or snow to-permit the desired contact to be made constructions we have preferred to adopt,

for the present illustration a simple constructlon 'of-air brake operatlng mechanlsm and railway block system in connection with which our present invention is shown.

- The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention, in which,- Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a road bed laid off in bloc-ks and electrical connections with the rails with which the mechanism on the vehicle are'to coact. Fig, 2,

shows a portlon oft-he vehicle and the mechan'ism and electrical circuits thereon. Fig.

3', is an enlarged detail front elevation of a device embodying features of the invention,

and'Fig. 4,-is a side elevation of the same. Referring to the drawings the numerals,

-1, 2, and, 3, designate three blocks the rails,

"4t, and, 5, of one block insulated from the rails of the adjoining blocks by suitable insulating material 6. Each block is provided near one end with a battery, 7, or other means, for supplying a current of elecnLEcrIircALir-coiwrnortnn SAFETY Arrimncn son Runways a tipecification of Letters Patent. p t t dfl i 'i 27 1911 B'E N OFFICE;

' ionnslnnnri en' tcanines ,or nhIinMoR nmnvnlinn;

trlcity to the rails, 41, and, 5, at said end. ,By reference to Fig. -1 it will be noted that in the present instance the end of one rail oi a block projects beyond the end of the other rail of the same block thus one rail of a block may be said. to overlap into the next adjoining block. A third or short rail section, 8, is provided at the end ot each block and in the present instance has positior at the outer side of the rails, 5, and a connection, 56, is provided between the t .id rail section and therail, 5. This latter connection may be made in any desired manner such as by a plate, bar wire or in any practi 'al way. It will be noted that in the present instance the rail section, 8,. has posit on beyond the insulated end of the rail wtl:

which it is connected, so that contact may he made with it while the wheelsoit the vehiizlt are on the rail, l.

In the application of the illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings we have preferred to show the invention in connection with an apparatus inthe vehicle for automatically applying the air brakes, but it is to be understood that it may be otherwise utilized.

By reference to Fi 2 it will be noted that the numeral 9, designates the axle of a -"e hicle and, 10, the wheels thereof which travel on the rails, l, and, 5. An air 'pipe, 11, on the vehicle is in communication with the train pipe or other portion of the airbrake system on the train, and is provided with a valve, 12, having an arm, 13, which is normally held in an inoperative position through a trip lever, 14, and an electro magnet, 15. This magnet controls the trip lever by attracting and holding it as long as the magnet is energized.-

A suitable support, 16, is carried n the vehicle at any convenient place so tn. a contact $1190, 17, may depend and brush over the third or contact rail section,8. The 1. ticular' manner of hanging or supporting this shoe is not essential but in the present instance we provide a bracket, 13, which boltcd'to the support, 16, so as to sustain a vertical stem, 19. This stem passes thror' gh stem and it is to this head that ihe contact shoe itself is attached. The stun, inane presentmstance 1s provided with avert'uza invention slot, 22, and a pin, 23, passes through the bracket, 18, and also'through the slot of the stem whereby to prevent the latter from.

turning, and a. coiled spring, 24, encircles the stem and presses downwardly on the d: t pressure. The contact shoe, in the present'instance, employs two mechanically-disconnected spring-metal plates, 25, which are separated from each other so as to form a central vertical space, 26, for a purpose presently to -bedescribed. These contact plates are provided with vertical slots, 27, which. extend downwardly from their upper ends so as to produce a plurality of fingers, 28, and, 29,

which are disconnected at their upper ends terialso the fingers thereof will be insulated from each other at their upper ends. A lug,

but joined at their lower contact ends, 30. The upper disconnected ends of these plates are secured in the same vertical plane betweensuitable plates, 31, of'insulating ma- 32, projects laterally from each'plate and a binding post, 33, is carried on each lug, for a purpose which will presently be explained.

A central, substantially rigid plate, 34, is clamped between the insulating plates, 31,

and depends therefrom and into the central "ertical space, 26. The lower end, 35, of this plate, 34, extends laterally and forms a contact with the inner vertical edges of the plates, 25, when the latter are in the normal vertical depending position and thereby forms a bridge for the passage of a current of electricity from either of the fingers, 29, to the plate, 34. 'The plate, 34, in the present instance, has its upper end projected above the insulated plates and carries a binding post, 36, for an electric connection as will presently appear.

On the outer side of the plates, 31,;we secure suitable depending arms, 37, which have a central position with respect to the plates, 25, and the lower end of each arm 1s provided with a horizontal contact arm, 38,

- that projects laterally with its opposite ends in front of the contactplates, 25. Normally the arms, 38, are out of contact with "ht-he plates, 25,-and merely hang pendantly at opposite sides thereof but when theklower endsof said plates are bowed one of said arms, 38, will form a contact betweenthespaced-apart plates. It will thus be .seen that when the spring contact plates, 25, are

a in the vertical position they are in electrical contact with the central plate, 34, but when they are bowed, as seen in Fig. 5, they are brought into electrical contact with each other through the arm, 38. The arm, 38, also serves to reinforce the spring *contact plates when they are bowed.

A battery, 39, is carried on the vehicle and is connected by a wire, 40, to the axle and through "t,he latter by wire, 41, to the hold it down with a yielding magnet, 15. Another wire, 42, connects the magnet with the two binding posts, 33, of the contact shoe while a wire, 43, connects the binding post, 36, on the central plate, '34, of the shoe with the other side of thebat- -ter 39. It will thus be seen.that a normal circuit is maintained on the vehicle to keep the magnet, 15, energized and hold the air- .valve, 12, in the inoperative position. In passing through the contact shoe normally, it being presumed that the current approaches by "wire, 42, it will enter the shoe by posts, 33, through fingers, 28, across the lower ends, 30, up through fingers, 29, to the .lower end, 35, of the central plate, 34,- and then out through binding post, 36, and by wire, 43, to battery.

It will be noted that as long as the fingers, 28, and, 29, of the shoe hang or extend straight down they will be in the' electrical connectionwith the lower end, 35, of the plate, 34, but as the position ofthese fingers .is such that they will wipe over the third or short contact rails, 8, as they. passthe latter, during such contact the fingers will be bowed or .sprung backwardly and at-such times will be out of contact with the plate,

34. If therefore, some other circuit is not established through electro-magnet, 15, while the spring fingers are bowed, said magnet will become deenergized and the trip lever,

14, will release arm, 13, of the valve and permit the .latter to turn to the operative position and thereby apply the brakes. If the block is clear, however, the magnet. will be kept energized because the track current will pass from battery, 7; mil, 5; contact rail, 8, and shoeto wire, 42, tc, magnet, 15, then by wire, 41, to axle, 9, and wheels, 10,

to rail 4, and back to battery, 7. It will therefore be seen that if the block is clear while the shoe is traveling'over rail-section, 8, the magnet, 15, will be kept energizedby the'track circuit and when the shoe .isout of contact with the rail section the battery, 39, on the vehicle will keep the magnet energized.

If a train is in a block and another train following in its rear attempts to enter. the same block the fingers of the contact shoe -will be sprung as they ride over the short and the valve, 12, operated toapply the brakes. I It will thus be. seen that if no current is taken up,by the shoe during its passage ver the short rail sectionsthe brakes will be applied, thus if the trackcircuit is out of order the brakes are applied, and if a ,train is in the block the brakes on the second train will be applied. Now the block is clear and the 'trackcircuit iirworking order snow or ice on the third rail section may prevent the shoe from'taking up the track current and sending it through magnet, 15, and even then the brakes would be applied because the system is not in thorough working order and while this is desirable as a check or safeguard, it is undesirable to ap ply the brakes and stop a train when the block is clear. In order to avoid this we have provided an improved means for applying a heating agent to the short rail sections while the contact shoe is traveling over the same and thereby remove sufiicient ice or snow to insure a proper contact. One means for eiiecting this application of the heating agent to the rail section is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 to which'reference will now be made.

A pipe, 44, is sustained by the support, 16, by means of a suitable clamp plate, 45, and is in communication with the boiler of the engine whereby either hot water or steam may be conveyed therethrough. A valve, 46, in the pipe has an a1 n, 47, with which a rod, 48, is connected and said rod extends to a point within reach of the engineer so that the valve may be opened or closed at will. In Warm or clear weather when neither ice nor snow can accumulate on the rail section, 8, the engineer can close the valve, 46, and thus entirely cut off the passage of water or I steam through the pipe, 44, but when needed,

the'said valve will be opened and will remain so because there is another valve, 49, lower down that will control the escape of the heating agent. This latter valve, 49, is provided with an arm, 50, that is attached to the plug, 51, of the valve so as to turn the latter and thus open or close the valve and a pipe, 52, depends from said valve and carries a nozzle, 53, at its lower end which projectstoward the short rail sections as the vehicle passes the latter, so that the heating agent may be directed against the contact surface of said rail section and thus clean the latter in advance of the shoe. Various forms or cmistructions of mechanism may be employed to operate the arm, 50, of this valve, 49, but in the present instance we pro-- vide a clip plate, 54, which is attached to the contact end of the spring fingers of the shoe and this clip-plate is provided, in the present instance with an eye, 55, through which the lower endof the valve arm, 50, extcndsf freely. It will thus be seen that when the spring fingers are bent asthey drag over the rail sections, they will throat or turn the valve arm and thus open the valve and permit the heating agent to discharge through the nozzle onto the rail section to clean the latter. The return of said fingers to their normal 'position'u'pon passing oif the rail will return the valve-arm and valve and thus shut off the heating agent.

Inordr to' prevent rapid condensation o'fi the steam in the pipe,44, and the freezing of watertlierein we inclose said pipe in some desirable way so as to protect it from the direct action of the coil and in the present instance we show a steam pipe, 56, coiled about said pipe, the ends, 57, and, 58, of which'are connected with the boiler of the locomotive so as to pass a continuous flow of steam therethrough and thus heat the pipe, 56, exteriorly.

It will be seen that each time the contact shoe travels over a rail section the latter will be heated and thus ice or snow removed to permit the shoe that follows to make the desired contact.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. In a traveling current collector for railways the combination with the stationary conductor along the road, of an electrical contact member on the vehicle which is movable by contact with the conductor; a pipe for supplying a heating agent to the conductor; a valve in said pipe and connections between the valve and the electrical contact member whereby the movement of the latter upon contacting with the conductor will open the said valve.

2. In a traveling current collector for railways, the combination with the stationary current conductor along the road; a pipe on the vehicle for supplying a heating agent to the said conductor and having a valve; a flexible contact member also carried on the vehicle .to make electrical contact with the conductor and meansconnecting the flexible contact member with the valve whereby the movement of said contact will operate the valve.

8. In a traveling current collector for railways, the-combination with the stationary current conductor along the road; a pipe on the vehicle for supplying a heating agent to the said conductor and having a valve; a flexible contact member also carried on the vehicle to make electrical contact with the conductor,-said member normally depending vertically and capable of being bowed and means for connecting the flexible member with the valve of the said pipe whereby j the bowing of said member will open the valve.

4. In a traveling current collector for railways, the combination with the stationary current conductor along the road; a pipe on the vehicle for supplying a heating agent to the said conductor and having a valve; a

flexible contact member also carried on the &

fpable of being sprung .in either of two directions and the valve of said pipe terminating i at the side of the flexible member and connected thereto and movable in either direction 'as the said flexible member is sprung out of its normal depending position.

5. In a traveling current collector for railways the combination with the stationary current conductors along the road, of a bracket on the vehicle; a stem carried by said bracket; a head connected with the stem,said head and stem being movable vertically; a flexible contact depending from the head to bow and wipe over the respective current conductors; a pipe on the vehicleya valve 'in said pipe, and connections between the valve and the flexible contact to operate the valve as the contactis bowed.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in'presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD T. JONES. FRANK r. JONES.

'Witnessesjz CHAS. B. MANN,

G. FERDINAND VoGr. 

